Academy Players and their International Careers

Whilst the Crystal Palace Academy are known for developing young players, how successful do these players go onto become? This blog will look at both past and present academy players and the international recognition they have received from their respective national country which they represent.

Past academy players:

Kenny Sansom – England (86 caps, 1 goal)

Kenny Sansom playing for England

The left-back made his international debut at the age of 21 before going on to have a long and successful career for England where he is still seen as one of the country’s best ever full-backs. He made his debut whilst playing for Crystal Palace and the international appearances continued after he made a then big money move to Arsenal, where he played in two World Cups and one European Championship.

Gareth Southgate – England (57 caps, 2 goals)

Gareth Southgate on International duty

Southgate was another academy product to make his England debut whilst playing for Crystal Palace and the central defender went on to play over fifty games for his country. These appearances included playing at one European Championship and one World Cup, as well as being in the squad for a second World Cup. He also captained his national side once in his successful career.

Clinton Morrison – Republic of Ireland (36 caps, 9 goals)

Republic of Ireland's Clinton Morrison

Academy product Clinton Morrison made his debut for Republic of Ireland when playing for Crystal Palace before leaving for Birmingham. He scored on his debut and scored a total of nine goals for the international side. Games in both European Championship and World Cup qualifiers were to follow as well as travelling to the 2002 World Cup, without making an appearance.

Current academy players:

Sean Scannell – Republic of Ireland Under 21

Sean Scannell

Since making his debut at the age of 17 for Crystal Palace, Sean Scannell has gone on to represent Republic of Ireland at international level at Under 17, 18 and 19 as well as most recently Under 21. This progression has seen him make nine appearances for the Under 21’s so far at the same time as nearing 100 appearances for his club.

Wilfried Zaha – England Under 19

Wilfried Zaha (right) playing for England

Despite only making his Crystal Palace debut in March 2010, Wilfried Zaha has already gained a reputation of being one of the hottest prospects in England for the future. This has seen him recognised at international level by representing the England Under 19 side and making over 35 appearances for Palace in his short career to date.

John Williams – Wales Under 21 and Ryan Inniss – England Under 16

Williams (left) and Inniss (right) represnting their nations

Williams and Inniss are two of Crystal Palace’s newest prospects to develop through their academy and despite neither having played for the first team so far, they have gained international recognition. John Williams, at the age of just 17, has impressed for the academy and reserve teams which has led to him playing well above his age group for the Wales Under 21 side. Also, Ryan Inniss at the age of just 15, has already signed a professional contract with Crystal Palace and has represented England at Under 16 level.

These examples help to show the opportunities which both past and present academy products have gained playing at international level. This helps to show that playing at Crystal Palace can still see young players being monitored and recognised by their country’s and players do not have to be playing for larger teams such as Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal for this to happen. With the help, advice and support offered by the management team at Palace, they can form the basis of a long and successful career for young players both domestically and internationally.

Fans Survey (Part 3) - Supporters Reaction to Academy Players in the First Team

With Crystal Palace known for producing a number of academy players who go onto play for the first team, the fans are the first people after the management team to watch and assess them. Support for any football team is vitally important throughout a season but how do Crystal Palace fans feel other supporters at the club react to seeing new home grown players in the team?

Here is a selection of Crystal Palace fans opinions on the reaction given to new young players in the first team: (Quotes used with prior permission)

John Burgess – “The lads get huge support. Everybody loves to see home grown players breaking into the first XI.”

Jamie Gibson – “With pride, as the academy is now one of the best in the country.”

Graham McKay – “Palace fans are supportive of home-grown talent. They recognise them as ‘one of their own’.”

Stefan Hagan – “Palace fans love to see a local kid develop in to a top player. We probably feel as if they are living the dream of a more talented version of ourselves when younger.”

Greg Lea – “The fans are always very supportive of young players from the academy, who often have a unique bond with the supporters; many Palace fans look to these players as one of their own.”

Andy Macfarlane – “Place fans are very supportive and patient with our young players from the academy. They are regarded as 'our' lads and our future. We want them to succeed.”

Craig Skinner – “The fans welcome young players coming through the academy and it further strengthens the close ties between the club and the local community. If a youngster tries hard when playing then the fans will back him in his progression.”

Rick Wilmot – “I believe the fans really get behind any youngster 'making the grade' to 1st team football. We feel they have learned their trade (& still learning) through the grades at the club and have an affinity with the club.”

Michael Blount – “Fans are always excited to see academy graduates in and around the first team. Many fans take an active interest in the academy to look at potential future first-teamers as we have such a history and tradition of producing our own talent.”

Crystal Palace Fans

In summary, there was an overwhelmingly positive response to the fans survey regarding fans reaction to youngsters playing for the club. This is due to the academy having such a high reputation that the fans see it as exciting when new players develop and make their debuts. There was a general consensus that fans see young players as ‘one of their own’ who they can relate to as supporters who would love to play for Crystal Palace, therefore offering them more support and forming a unique bond between player and fans.

This support means that fans want to see new young players being successful with the club as it is the result of a lot of hard work put in by both the players and the management team. Due to coming through the academy, young players are seen as having a connection with the club as they have learnt their trade there and many fans follow particular youngster’s progressions from an early age.

Overall, Crystal Palace fans believe that they offer academy players huge support when they play for the first team because they have grown-up at the club and developed under the guidance of the current management team as well as maybe those in the past. This progression can form a unique relationship with academy players as they are seen as players living the dream of the majority of fans, by playing for their favourite football club. The relationship formed is different to that of players who are signed from other clubs and can see an instant backing from the fans as soon as a new young player makes their debut.

Fans Survey (Part 2) - Supporters Opinions of the Academy

Crystal Palace are known nationally to have one of the best academies for producing young players who make the step up from the academy to first team.

Here is a selection of some of the views of supporters as to how well they believe young players are given a chance at the football club, taken from a fans survey: (Quotes used with prior permission)

Jordan Manning – “They are given time to develop the fundamentals before they are able to step up to reserve and senior level.”

Tony Hart – “I think Crystal Palace has a strong culture of developing young players and giving them the chance to progress to the first team.”

Craig Skinner – “Palace as a club has a long tradition of nurturing young talent and continues to do so.”

John Cushnie – “I think very well. They are given every encouragement with their education as well as enhancing their football ability.”

Sam Hesketh – “Youngsters definitely get a good chance of playing first team football at Palace, over the years we've proven that doing well at the Academy certainly gets you an opportunity in the first team. Even if players don't make the grade with the first team, it seems they are very well looked after with regards to finding them another club, which is commendable.”

Mike Watson – “In a rating of 1 to 10 I would rate at around 9 particularly in the last 3 years or so but we have a history in this area over 30 years (team of the 80s).”

Mark Pratt – “Very well, the future is just as important as the present at the club.”

Crystal Palace Academy

In summary, the vast majority of fans who answered the survey believe that Crystal Palace give young footballers a better chance of gaining experience in the first team than most other clubs in the country, backed up by how many young players have made their debuts especially in the last few years which other clubs can’t compare too.

The club has a long tradition and culture of developing young players which stretches back over 30 years. This helps to show just how much importance the club places on their youth meaning chances are created whereas at other clubs they may not. Youngsters are given time at the club to develop their skills at a young age with the aim of taking these into the future and into the first team in the years to come.

As well as these points, Crystal Palace also help youngsters with their education whilst they are at the club which will help to set them up if their own future does either not lie at the club or in football meaning that they will not be left not knowing what to do if they are released. Also, the club does everything they can to help young players who are released to find new clubs and assist them in continuing their development elsewhere if it is not to be here.

Overall, the fans have huge faith in the academy and players brought through in the past, as well as some waiting to come through to the first team at present, helps the club to be optimistic about the future and seeing more young players develop into first team regulars.

Fans Survey (Part 1) - Most Successful Academy Product

Crystal Palace fans were asked: "Who do you feel the most successful youngster is to have come through the clubs academy in the past and why?"

The results are as follows: (Most answers included more than one name so all have been included)

Victor Moses – 48 (26%)

Nathaniel Clyne – 27 (15%)

Ben Watson – 21 (12%)

Kenny Sansom – 19 (10%)

Gareth Southgate – 18 (10%)

Wayne Routledge – 8 (4%)

Clinton Morrison – 6 (3%)

Hayden Mullins – 5 (3%)

Sean Scannell – 5 (3%)

Wilfried Zaha – 5 (3%)

John Salako – 3  (2%)

Kieron Cadogan – 2 (1%)

Jim Cannon – 2 (1%)

Kieran Djilali – 2 (1%)

Vince Hilaire – 2 (1%)

John Bostock – 1 (<1%)

Dean Gordon – 1 (<1%)

Lee Hills – 1 (<1%)

Martin Hinshelwood – 1 (<1%)

Paul Hinshelwood – 1 (<1%)

John Jackson – 1 (<1%)

Matthew Parsons – 1 (<1%)

Richard Shaw – 1 (<1%)

Tom Soares – 1 (<1%)

These results show that Victor Moses has been voted as the best Crystal Palace player to have come through the academy in the past by the 100 fans surveyed.

Victor Moses made his Crystal Palace debut at the age of just 16 when he came on as a substitute in an away match against Cardiff City. From this point on, he went onto make 58 appearances for the club in the next three years whilst scoring 11 goals. He was seen as a young and skilful player who, on his day, would terrorise defences with his pace and talent which saw his quickly become and firm fans favourite.

Victor Moses at Crystal Palace

It was only because of the club going into administration in January 2010 that Moses left the club for Premier League side Wigan Athletic in a £2.5 million deal. This step up to the top flight of English football was seen as a natural progression by most Crystal Palace fans for a player who had shown his potential and what he was capable of producing when on a football pitch.

Despite a slow start to his Wigan career, Victor Moses is now a regular in the side and in the Premier League where he is starting to show why many Crystal Palace fans felt that he was destined for the top flight. He has so far made 29 appearances for the club, scoring twice, with many more surely ahead of him being only 20. This helps to show that by him playing at a lower level with Crystal Palace, he gained the necessary experience to allow him to make the step up and he is now starting to become a success where this may not have happened had he started at a team in the top level of English football.

Signing for Wigan Athletic

In addition to this, Moses has represented England at under 16, 17, 19 and 21 level and has now been tipped to play for the Nigerian national side, the country of his birth.

Representing England at International level

Another key point of these results is that there are players from a number of different decades, showing that there is a good chance that successful academy players will stay in the minds of fans for years to come. For example, goalkeeper John Jackson made his debut for the club in 1964 and went onto make 346 appearances for Crystal Palace whilst the likes of Jim Cannon, Martin Hinshelwood, Paul Hinshelwood, Kenny Sansom and Vince Hilaire all made their debuts during the 1970’s. In comparison, the likes of Victor Moses, Nathaniel Clyne and Ben Watson, amongst many others, have made their debuts in the past decade.

Kenny Sansom

With the survey producing such varied results, this gives the impression that coming through the academy and having a successful career at the club will be remembered by fans and leaves a lasting impression. Due to players who made their debuts nearly 40 years ago being voted for, it also helps to show that the Crystal Palace academy have been producing its own talent for many years and will continue to do so in the future, making it a great club to join to learn and gain experience to form the basis of a long and successful career.

Crystal Palace Fans Survey

Over the next few weeks, there will be six instalments of blogs relating to a survey carried out to gain the opinions of Crystal Palace fans of the clubs academy, one every Sunday and Wednesday.

100 fans were surveyed and a number of quotes will be used (with prior permission) to share their views. Thank you again to all who kindly took time to complete the survey and please look out for these instalments when they are posted to help show why the Crystal Palace academy is beneficial for young players looking to become professionals.

Academy product Clyne to reach 100 appearances at the age of 20

At Crystal Palace, an emphasis has always been placed on the development of young footballers coming through the academy and eventually playing for the first team.

Crystal Palace fans will know better than anyone else outside of the club that young players are given an excellent opportunity to develop and gain valuable experience whilst wearing the red and blue shirt and the biggest current example of this is that of young right back Nathaniel Clyne.

Nathaniel Clyne

It was on Saturday 18^th October 2008 when Crystal Palace welcomed Barnsley to Selhurst Park for an evening kick-off live on Sky Sports. When the teams were announced prior to the game, the name of ‘Nathaniel Clyne’ was unknown to the majority of supporters but the then 17-year-old was given his first professional start and appearance by manager Neil Warnock in the 3-0 win. An assured performance from such an inexperienced individual in front of the television cameras saw his names man-of-the-match and he has never looked back since.

In just under two and a half years, Clyne has now made 99 appearances in a Crystal Palace shirt scoring once, away to Reading in the 2009-2010 season. Coming through the academy instantly saw the fans warm to Clyne and he has gone onto become a fans favourite with a large number of professional performance where he has shown levels of maturity beyond his age and what would have been expected by the management. This rise to stardom has also seen him play for England at under 19 level.

In action for England under 19's

Despite this amazing achievement, Clyne has had his fair share of transfer rumours surrounding him during his rise from academy product to first team regular. When Crystal Palace entered administration in January 2010, Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers made a transfer bid which was accepted by the administrators who were in place. However, the youngster turned down this move due to being promised first team football at Crystal Palace, something he may not have got if he had moved too early in his career.

In a recent interview with the South London Press, Clyne said “Getting to 100 games is a big achievement for me. I didn’t expect to be making my debut at 17 and I’ve worked my way up from the academy to where I can look at myself as a first-team regular.”

And in another interview with the Guardian, he said "I have been at Palace through the academy, through the youth team and become a first team regular and I have got my rewards. I was offered moves to other clubs but being promised first team football here was the drive to stay at Palace and learn and try and improve game by game.”

Playing for Crystal Palace this season



These quotes help to show just how much staying at Crystal Palace has helped with his development and, with a future move to the Premier League almost certain for the defender, he has gained more experience and first team football than the majority of players his age throughout the country. Also, the vast majority of Crystal Palace fans would not deny him of the chance of playing football at a higher level of football and will give their blessing to any future move due to him showing a level of commitment to the club which has seen him become a fans favourite and one of the most consistent performers at such a young age. Also, the majority of fans see him as a future England right back which shows just how successful the academy is and how well they are thought of.

So if there are any young players who are looking to become professional footballers, Nathaniel Clyne is one of the biggest examples as to why Crystal Palace are one of the best choices. The club has helped him to gain experience and set himself up for a long and successful career by taking his chances when they were presented to him. In a day and age where commitment is rare in football, this story helps to show how successful young players can become if they take time early in their careers to gain the experience needed to push on in the future and grow as a footballer.

Clyne after scoring his first professional goal against Reading

Links:
Guardian (http://nowtweet.it/vl)
South London Press (http://nowtweet.it/vm)

Welcome to my blog!

Hi everyone!

I'm Liam, 21, and am currently in my last year studying Business Studies at Brighton University. As part of my course, I am taking a Digital Marketing course which is the main reason I have started this blog.

At Coventry's Ricoh Arena

The main aim of it is to help create a digital marketing campaign for Crystal Palace FC, who I have supported all of my life, to help attract more young players to the well known and successful academy, rather than join that of 'bigger' teams in the London region such as Arsenal, Chelsea, Fulham, Tottenham and West Ham. This blog, along with a Twitter account (@CPFC_Academy) and a fans survey (http://nowtweet.it/tq) will help form the basis of this strategy.

The blog will discuss various issues relating to the academy and give reasons as to why it is a successful place for young footballers to develop with the overall goal of playing and gaining experience for the first team in the future.

Crystal Palace boss Dougie Freedman

Examples of successful youth players will also be used (such as Ben Watson, Victor Moses, Nathaniel Clyne etc) to help show parents with children who are good at football just why they should choose Crystal Palace rather than any other football club.

Please check back here regularly for my blogs as well as the Twitter feed (please follow!) and let me know what you think on each topic which I blog about.

Thank you for visiting!

Liam

Darren Ambrose